So Very Special
by LibraMoon
Summary: Their love started in the most unusual of circumstances. An owl, a pair of knickers, and brown paper. FlintxBell.
1. Chapter 1

**Marcus Flint x Katie Bell. Just some fun and intrigue. I am so hopelessly stuck in writers block with my other stories and some are just not being well received, so I am more or less just amusing myself. Thank you for reading!**

**Rated M. I own nothing. This is just for pure enjoyment. **

OoOoOo

"Are you going to deliver it or not?"

The owl stared her down imperiously and Katie sighed deeply. This was the stupidest thing she'd ever been dared to do, but of course she was going to do it or risk losing face. Peer pressure was a deadly bastard.

She stood in the owlery, trying to prompt the least agreeable bird of the flock into taking the package in the wee hours of the morning before anyone had the slightest chance of awakening. If she were caught, it would be disastrous, however, she could not risk someone else seeing… and there by knowing who sent it.

She'd only spent five minutes in the bird's company, its tawny head never moving, and she was ready to rip her hair out.

"I'll give you a treat," she tried crooning sweetly at the infuriating fowl.

It blinked large eyes at her, thoroughly unimpressed.

She clutched the package to her chest, distracted and flinching at every little sound that echoed up the corridor.

"Okay," she said, patience wearing thin, "I promise to give you an entire bag of treats if you take this package, and refuse to take or bring anything back to me. You cannot, under any circumstance, connect me to this."

She could see intrigue in the bird's eyes. It chuffed softly and held up a claw, talons extended.

Katie gasped in outrage.

"No I will not give you three bags!"

The owl lowered its foot, and turned its head preparing to go back to sleep.

"It's not dangerous," she pleaded. The heartless beast seemed unmoved by her delicate plight. She gnashed her teeth silently, as she debated. "One bag of treats … and another later in the week when I have a chance to buy more. That's two whole bags. More than fair. " She pointed out.

The tawny head turned toward her, ruffling its feathers in an irritated display. It extended its talons again.

"Not bloody _three _bags, I-"

The owl started to hoot loudly, causing Katie to jump in fright, nearly dropping the package. Several other pairs of eyes cracked open at her angrily.

"Fine!" She hissed angrily. "One tonight and two more later in the week."

Avian eyes appraised her, looking her up and down mutely. It hooted softly, almost expectant.

"You must be joking," the girl said in a sarcastic snarl.

Tawny hooted more forcefully, extending his wings aggressively.

"I can't _believe _this," she snorted angrily as she fished out the bag of treats concealed on her person. "Paying up front, as if I would go back on my _word_." She shoved the pouch at the owl, who she swore gloated in its triumph.

Suddenly, she hated birds.

Sighing in defeat she held the package up to the bird that snatched it in its beak with a delicate air. The ruffled feathers smoothed and it leapt off of its perch, taking flight in an instant. She watched it go with equal parts dismay and dread.

She'd charmed the thing six ways from Sunday and there was no conceivable way anyone could know. This could never come back on her, she'd made sure. At least, she'd made sure, that she'd made sure that it shouldn't come back on her.

Oh this was going to bite her in the arse. She could just feel it now and it was far too late to call the bird back.

She was going to kill Alicia for this.

OoOoOo

It started with the tapping at his window. Marcus Flint groaned as he rolled over in his bead. His eyes hardly daring to crack open at what could only be called an indecent hour. He'd run himself ragged in practice and the last thing he wanted to do on his one day to sleep in, was to be woken up early. He snarled, his crowded teeth flashing for a moment.

He threw off the covers and charged the window, he glared at the owl waiting their impatiently. He wasn't expecting any sort of missive, and he watched the owl warily. Slowly he opened the latch, his expression blank as the bird dropped the package on the windowsill. It looked at him expectantly, and he searched his room quickly. He found a single treat and offered it to the tawny bird, who looked slightly affronted. It did not even wait for him to open the parcel before taking off with an irritated hoot.

He raised a brow at the rudeness of the creature before closing his window and latching it tightly. His grey eyes looked at the unexpected mail with some misgivings. He gingerly picked up the brown paper parcel, noting that it had some writing on it.

_From your biggest fan. _

That was the only thing it said. Marcus wasn't even aware he _had_ any fans. He knew his reputation was well deserved and he was not as physically blessed as some of the other boys in his year. He frowned, knowing he was not highly desired due to his behavior, mediocre grades, and as always-his teeth. It was not his fault that genetics decided to dislike him so.

With deft fingers he separated the paper, feeling the magic break that had charmed it closed.

A silken pair of black knickers fell to the floor at his feet. The faint scent of feminine perfume wafted in his nostrils.

His eyes widened and he blinked, doing a double take at the scrap of cloth on the floor. He picked it up, unsure if it was going to lash out and bite him or explode in his face. It had to be a trick of some kind. His features set into a glower at the thought. He would find out who had sent him this lewd and mocking 'present' in order to make them pay.

Merlin help them if the blasted things ruined his room someone. He could almost see them exploding into a fireball on his desk and ruining his latest half-finished essay.

He cautiously set the pair of plain black knickers on his desk and went for his wand. Better the desk than his bed or any other possessions he did not want to be forced to replace. His mind conjured up a list of likely curses that might be imbedded in the soft fabric, and he recited the spells effortlessly.

Finding curses was one of the few things he was rather good at. That and quidditch. He had a real talent for quidditch, but his parents did not approve of their son playing a sport for the rest of his life. To them he was an embarrassment, and there were days where he could hardly blame them. The other boys in his house were cleverer, more handsome, and more admired for their magical ability than Marcus 'troll' flint.

Most days it never bothered him. He knew what his station in life was and he would live it. There was no shame in not being the most wanted boy in school, or at home. That was the cruel reality of many a soul that had passed through Hogwarts. He held no illusions that he was somehow special. He was arrogant, but that was more of a Flint trait than anything.

There were no curses on the undergarment at all. It was jinx, hex, curse, and dark magic free.

His eyes widened and his cheeks flushed. That could only mean that…

He laughed, unsure of what to think about the whole situation. He eyed the black knickers as if they were some Arithmacy equation he stood no hope of ever solving. He wiped his face tiredly.

It couldn't have been much past four in the morning.

A girl had sent him her knickers.

A _girl_ had sent _him_ her knickers.

He blushed even harder, his mouth gaping open like a fish as the thought struck him like a savage blow. Someone fancied him. Him! He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, trying to contain the happy spark that ignited inside of his chest.

Had anyone been present in the darkened room of Marcus Flint, they might have commented how handsome he looked with his eyes sparkling. Or how debonair, he appeared when he seemed so elated.

Though there were no curses or any sort of harmful magic, the garments did have traces of charms on them. He had not missed that part when he had so thoroughly scanned them. They had been warded against being returned to the rightful owner, and blocked from being used to locate the person.

Whoever fancied him was shy.

Marcus couldn't say exactly what that made him feel or why. His mind had already surrendered to the puzzle of figuring out who they belonged to. He didn't care about the undergarment. No, not in the slightest, and he brushed the black clothing into the rubbish bin. His fingers picked up the brown paper that had held the item securely.

'_From your biggest fan_,' he thought highly pleased as he tore the written section out from the rest of the wrapping. He held it reverently for a few moments.

His lips quirked into a smile as he traced the ink gently with his fingertips. Someone had gone to all the trouble of sending him this at the wee hours of the morning. That meant someone had broken the rules of curfew in order to get it to him. Someone had cared enough to charm the garments; a few of the charms had been extensive.

Most people would have called that highly suspect, and Marcus entertained that thought briefly, but none of it was in line with a sinister intent. There were no instructions for him, or anything that would humiliate him in anyway. It had been completely innocuous.

Still, whoever she was, she had done all of this for him. She had risked punishment, and sent him a message that made him feet ten feet tall.

She thought he was special.

Flint tucked the paper, containing one simple sentence into his robe pocket. The robe hung on the wall, ready to be worn for the new day. Flint could still feel the heat on his cheeks from the blush such a small thing caused him.

OoOoOo

Katie Bell had thought that nothing would come of it. Nothing at all. Days had passed by and Marcus Flint had not said anything to her, or anyone else. In fact, he had been almost tolerable since her visit to the owlery…

…with tawny, the avian extortionist.

Even during the latest match, he had been nearly sporting. Katie hadn't known what to make of that. If a pair of knickers was all it took to turn Marcus Flint into a semi-less pratish bloke, she could spare one or two more.

She snickered at her own private joke as she'd rounded the corner to the pitch. It was time for practice once more, and she halted at the sight that greeted her.

Olvier Wood, and three of her teammates were locked in a heated argument with Flint. The very boy she'd been mentally snarking at.

'_Speak of the devil,_' she thought tiredly. Katie had no idea what the argument was about this time, and she cursed herself for jinxing what had been shaping up to be good thing.

Her eyes widened as Wood shoved Flint, who lost his balance and toppled to the dirt. His green quidditch uniform flailing about him as a single slip of brown paper slipped out of his pocket. She walked closer, hoping to put an end to the fight before it got out of proportion.

Katie's eyes widened as she made out the one sentence that had her blood chilling in her veins.

"You're wrong," he said with quite wounded dignity. His words caused Katie to still and her breath to catch as he grabbed up the small slip of cheap brown paper. Her heart thundered painfully in her chest. She knew what it said. Her pulse fluttered at a stark realization.

He'd kept it.

Why in the name of Merlin had he kept it?

She did not have to ponder overlong.

"Someone thinks I'm _special_," he said with conviction.

"You? Are ya daft? Who would find someone like you special?" Her captain, Oliver Wood sneered dismissively.

The boy picked himself up off the ground, dusting off his uniform while remaining mute to the taunt.

Katie could not process what she was seeing. Flint hadn't gloated about getting knickers, or how the girls were swooning for him. No, he had done none of those things. He'd kept her hastily penned address to him. Too late she realized the ramifications of what should have been a simple dare.

Flint thought someone cared about him; truly cared about him.

She'd never seen anything so heartbreakingly sad in her life. For him to get so worked up over one little sentence… what kind of life had he led until now? Was there so little affection in his world? What sort of a monster was she?

She watched him straighten, his grey eyes flashing angrily at Wood and for once she couldn't blame him. Oliver must have said something further to upset Flint who snarled a few insults, but Katie could only focus on the scrap of paper he held fiercely in his grip as if he were defending it against the world.

'_Someone thinks I'm special,_' he had said. There was such a bittersweet longing in the words. An expression of self-assurance and comfort in him holding onto that silly sentence. His words betrayed more than she had ever previously known. Did no one think that he was? She couldn't recall his name being said with anything other than venom or anger and she could not remember so much as a single girl that admitted to having a relationship with him.

Oh.

She felt shame carve a path up her stomach. What she had done was a rather rotten thing indeed then. It also explained his more pleasant behavior recently. She flushed with regret. How alone he must feel. Even if he was Slytherin and not a terribly nice person.

"Some slag no doubt," Oliver replied in a goading tone.

"Don't talk about her like that," Marcus shouted, the veins in his neck standing out prominently.

"Seems I've hit a nerve. What? Was she passed around by your whole house already?"

Katie cast a sideways glance at Oliver. He didn't know he was technically talking about her, but Katie knew. However inadvertently, she was the girl he was talking about.

"Be quiet before I shut you up." The darker-haired boy snarled. His face was mottled in his rage. "If you ever talk about her like that again, you won't be able to walk for weeks."

The threat carried some weight, but the crowd made both males unwilling to lose face.

"Oh? Does your lass have a name then? Because I haven't seen any blind students lately."

"You're hilarious Wood. Did you think that one up all by yourself?" A scowl crossed his features. "It's none of your business."

Oliver arched a brow. "I didn't realize you and your hand were so attached Flint," he quipped with a disparaging glance at Flint. The Gryffindors rumbled with laughter at the slight. "Still better that than some diseased-"

A stinging hex caught Oliver in the midsection and he toppled over with a curse.

Flint's wand was in his face faster than anyone could blink.

"Don't you _ever_ impugn her honor again." He said lowly, his continence menacing.

Katie could only gasp, as she listened dumbfounded. He was defending her honor. Some small part of her fluttered in girlish delight though it was wholly inappropriate because it had been all for the wrong reasons.

His glare could have frozen the sun, and she couldn't help but think that he wasn't quite so terrible to look at. Her heart slowed in her chest as his grey eyes met hers and she knew was staring.

As he stormed away, she couldn't help but feel that he'd somehow wormed into the tiniest corner of her heart.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you my reviewers! I am off of my brief break and will be returning to other stories. Thank you for your time. **

**Someone asked what charms were used on the garment. I'm making these up but… Et non invenient me, non loco, et non est inventus, and abite.**

**Rated M. I own nothing. This is just for pure enjoyment. **

OoOoOo

'_Don't you ever impugn her honor again.'_

Katie played the words over in her head for the thousandth time. Her cheeks were stained a fetching cherry red. She was alone in her room, and she knew that she was making far more of this than was actually there. The mind had a way of romanticizing things. Yet, how could someone look at the scene and hear the words he'd said and not think it romantic?

Why did she even care if it was romantic or not? Katie huffed a breath and moved the curtains around her bed to the side for a moment; she peered out to make sure that her fellow Gryffindors were still sleeping. They were, lucky bastards.

She was pondering over Marcus bloody Flint as she had been for hours now. She hadn't slept a wink really. She credited her new found insomnia to a bit of pork at dinner, or perhaps she had some sort of liver fluke. She might be forced to see Madame Pomfrey.

She scowled thoughtfully.

Who did Flint think he was? How dare he step in and … keep something slanderous from being said about a girl he didn't even know. What sort of man did that? When did she start considering Marcus Flint a _man_? She bit her lip in contemplation worrying the flesh between her teeth. She had to admit, to herself and no one else, that she'd never pictured Flint to be the chivalrous type. However, it seemed that her unvoiced assumption was very much wrong. But she liked it.

Now that she'd seen the characteristic in him, it somehow suited him perfectly and that left her at a loss of what to think.

And, she hadn't forgotten Oliver's part in everything, acting like a giant git. Even though she was incredibly biased because she was the girl that Flint thought fancied him-which she most certainly did not-, Wood had no right to make fun of someone not even there. What did it matter if a girl did like Flint? Not, that Katie did but someday some girl would surely like him. Statistically speaking it had to happen eventually. So why was Oliver surprised that someone might care for flint.

Special. He'd said that word and she'd latched onto it for some unknown reason. She hardly knew Flint at all, but he was no worse than any other bloke around school. Well, not really. Yes, it was true that Flint bullied some people, but not constantly and there normally wasn't a specific target for his meanness. Katie had always assumed that it was a Slytherin requirement of the house. Given what time she'd spent in their presence, it had made a great deal of sense.

Then again, wasn't everyone unkind in some way? They were teenagers and not bleeding Mother Theresa. Maybe it was due to the fact that she felt a little humbled. Kate was after all the one that had played needlessly with someone's emotions and it did not sit right with the Gryffindor. She truly had not been trying to hurt anyone at all. She had thought he would have a laugh, keep the stupid knickers and flaunt it around the grounds for everyone to see.

It was not as if anyone could recognize a pair of her underwear by sight.

However, there was something to be said about him. Something to commend for holding onto one silly sentence and looking at Oliver with those flashing eyes-

And, there she was doing it again. Katie shook her head angrily. His eyes hadn't _flashed_. He'd been angry that Oliver had said rude things about her. Well, not that he _knew_ it was _her_, but still.

She flopped onto her back, and stared up at the canopy.

This was ludicrous. She needed to stop thinking about him, because after that little scene it didn't matter. She wasn't going to string him along or get his hopes up that someone like him anymore. She wouldn't do it.

OoOoOo

Katie cursed herself again. She kept peeking up across the great hall at Flint and it was annoying. She did not care, but he seemed off. Almost as if he'd reconsidered that scrap of paper and part of her thought that was a fine thing. Another part of her noticed the way the corners of his mouth pulled as if he were close to frowning.

Or sad.

Dammit.

She surreptitiously glanced at Wood down the table. He appeared to have forgotten the little incident with the exception of his occasional wincing. The feminine side of Katie thought that it served him right on some level for slandering someone who Wood hadn't even known was there. Who, she supposed, technically was there because Katie didn't fancy Flint. She didn't think him particularly special either.

So she would leave him alone and venture out of the Castle today for the weekend.

OoOoOo

She didn't know why she was even doing this, but she did know why she was blushing. Her eyes wandered away from the Slytherin as she pretended to nose through some books. She wasn't even truly reading any of the titles. She felt her heart racing, and her eyes wandered back to Flint once more. He was still talking and laughing with Draco Malfoy and Peregrine Derrick. He was up to no good, likely.

She couldn't help but think that he looked quite sweet in the scene before her. His eyes were full of mirth and not malice, and his laugh was actually rather nice.

What was wrong with her?

Katie shook her head and chastised herself. This was getting out of hand. The next thing she knew, she'd be fancying Flint.

Flint!

Of all the foolish notions! A Gryffindor pining after a Slytherin. If Godric could see this he'd be spinning in his grave. She was going to stop this behavior once and for all.

She was, until she saw his hand move toward his pocket and she wondered if he was still carrying that blasted piece of brown paper. Not that it really mattered if he was, but a small warm feeling carried in her chest. She watched him turn to scowl at some unknown students, and she shivered. He seemed a tad mercurial in nature.

She edged closer, hoping to stay out of their notice. She wasn't particularly trying to listen in on their conversation, no. She was merely looking on the applications of… the magical studies of… Advanced theory of…

She was looking at a book. There. If on the off chance anyone asked, she was just looking at a book and nothing else.

"-Eh Marcus?" The voice of Peregrine Derrick floated in her ears, and Katie tried to breath as quietly as possible. Because it was rude to be noisy in a Bookshop as she traced the spines of some books. She looked indecisive, but it was not due to the selection. She didn't need to hear what they were saying. Plucking up her courage, she was going to walk right past them.

"I don't know mate. That's your choice."

"Well, you're older. What would you get her?"

Flint appeared contemplative, with his lips pressed in a thin like and his shifty grey eyes were looking around the store. It took every ounce of Katie's willpower not to duck. It was preposterous that she worried he would see her and know what she was doing. She was being foolish.

"Get her something she likes, but make it small," he said after a time, "because it is the little things that count."

"That is not… mate, that's not quite what that saying means," Derrick said with an amused grin.

"I know," Flint scowled at him menacingly, "but it means that you're thinking about her and that matters."

There was something about the way he said it. There was such conviction and he spoke like someone who knew exactly what they were talking about. A wealth of unspoken information was laid in those rather simple words.

Katie blushed.

"I'm sure that will get me within snogging graces for sure," his friend replied skeptically.

She saw a faint flush at Flint's ears. Something tugged at her heartstrings at how rather adorable that seemed that a Slytherin could be embarrassed by kissing someone heatedly. Her lips quirked up into a small smile she did not even know she was sporting.

"Either way, it's up to you," Flint replied with a shrug.

"Oi there goes Perriweather, I owe that bastard for making me lose house points," Derick motioned and the two other Slytherins craned their necks to stare out the window.

"We could always pay him a… _visit_." Flint said with a menacing light in his eyes. Katie had the feeling that 'visit' meant 'beating'.

"His hair does seem a touch greasy. Looks like he might have forgotten his bath today," Draco replied with lips twitching.

She could already tell where this was going. Maybe he wasn't exactly different than what she'd previously thought of him. Parts of him were, undeniably far removed from that brutish thug she believed him to be. She wasn't even sure his wanting to hassle another student was Slytherin, evil, or simply being a male.

Dear Merlin she had to get out of here. Katie snatched her hand away from a volume on Norwegian Dragons and hurried past the Slytherin males trying desperately not to look at them. She even succeeded.

Mostly. Her eyes caught Flints as she brushed past them, and though he didn't pay her too much mind she noticed for the first time that his eyes were a pleasing color.

Katie couldn't say what drove her into the confectionary shop.

She didn't have a lot of money to her name; in fact she had a depressingly small amount. However, she kept seeing his face when he talked about someone thinking he was 'special' on the quidditch field. She had also heard him say how much the little things matter to know someone was thinking about you kindly. She felt the heat in her cheeks. Maybe he'd wanted a reminder that someone thought about him nicely one and a while? Truly what harm could it do to give him a gift? She'd already put her foot in it once, what was one more time?

And, he'd seemed so... she couldn't even put a name to the nearly gallant behavior he had shown. Un-slytherin perhaps? Would that adequately describe how he'd defended her honor even though he had no idea it was her? Or how he didn't seem overly concerned with the physical aspect of a relationship so much? Did that mean what she thought it did about Flint?

It was the sort of thing a girl could get used to, and she was going to make certain that she didn't.

With her mind made up, Katie reached for the only thing she saw that matched what she felt about the dark-haired boy.

OoOoOo

Tawny was almost pleased to see her. Katie already felt unhappy about the situation. She scuffed the toe of her shoe on the floor, her gaze nearly withering.

"One bag," she said without preamble.

The damn thing looked insulted.

"It is not nearly so early, or late and there are at least four other owls that would love this bargain," she pointed out waspishly.

The owl cocked it's head at her and blinked languidly with its huge eyes.

"I'm not going to be extorted by an owl," she firmly reprimanded.

Tawny didn't even bother moving. He continued to stare at her patiently.

"I'll give you your payment in advance, just like last time," Katie cajoled temptingly.

She glared as he extended his claw and talons again.

"I'm not going to-," she started angrily. Her indignant tirade grinding to a halt as the owl pushed off and swooped to the other side of the room. How rude!

"Don't you fly away from me."

It gurgled at her, as well as an owl could laugh. She flushed to the roots of her hair at being forced to argue with an owl. Yet, she did not go to the other owls for fear that one of them would slip up and led Flint directly back to her and that would be terrible. It would be terrible because she didn't fancy him and was only trying to do something nice for him. There was a clear distinction between the two. She ground her teeth and tried to reign in her pride.

She did not have to do this, but he'd looked sad again at dinner. Her mind grappled with her feelings until at last she surrendered.

"Fine," she hissed through clenched teeth. "I'll give you three more bags."

'_You horrid little sneaky feathered bastard_,' she thought savagely.

Almost as if it had heard her thoughts, the owl cooed at her affectionately. He took his payment upfront, Katie surrendered the bag and watched as the bird clasped the package in its talons. He took flight not a moment later, the other owls watching her with what she would call amusement.

"Not one word from the lot of you, or I'll show you what a cheeky monkey looks like," she mumbled unhappily.

OoOoOo

The slip of paper had been worn at the edges, folded and carefully smoothed out again. Over and over, he'd read the simple words, allowing them to fill him with a sense of accomplishment. His thoughts however, turned over Wood's scathing accusation about her; the thought of which still manage to make Marcus furious in seconds. The other male had no right in speaking about her like that.

He didn't know who she was, and he did not care if she had liked other boys before him. She fancied him now and that was all that mattered. It was a Slytherin practice to acquire things, skills, and knowledge every day. Marcus was not the best at this, but he was considered cunning. He was smart enough to know that people were rarely fit into a tidy package like an object or words on a page.

Her thoughts of him were expressed on the small bit of well-worn paper he carried with him everywhere. Admittedly, he wondered if she was in good health and how her studies were going. Would they, if they had the chance, walk about the grounds and talk about their lives? Would she laugh at his small jokes or would she smile when she saw him?

He did not know the answers to his questions, but he liked to imagine that she would be pleased to see him. Marcus enjoyed the chance to hope that she might see past his well cultivated exterior and Flint arrogance.

When he was alone he day dreamed that she would hold his hand as they strolled down the way to the village below Hogwarts. Maybe when it was cold, he would then offer her his scarf and she would wear it, even if they weren't her house colors. Because she liked him and didn't mind everyone seeing them together, she would smile at him and tell him he was special to her.

A tapping at the window broke his quite train of thought. Marcus turned his head, dark eyebrows already drawing into a frown, only to shoot up in amazement. It was the same tawny owl from before. Or at least, by the daggers it was glaring at him, he assumed it was.

He wasn't terribly popular with the school birds. Though he wasn't entirely sure why, because he'd never done anything to them. The bird waited impatiently as Marcus scrambled for a treat, that he had made sure to pick up more of at the village, and unlatched the window.

The avian surrendered the package and turned over the proffered treat with shrewd eyes. Marcus blinked in surprise, because the owl seemed somewhat mollified. It ruffled its feathers, ate the treat and took off. He could not help but notice that it had a bag of treats in its other claw, so why it needed more he did not understand but he was too distracted by the present to care.

There was nothing on the outside of the brown paper this time. He felt vaguely disappointed, before realizing that he had yet to peer inside. She hadn't forgotten about him, and she obviously still fancied him enough to send him this.

He felt a swell of pleasure at the thought.

He opened the package with his fingers trembling. His eyes were already wide and bright with anticipation. His shy admirer had given him another gift. He squared his shoulders, determined to hold back the nervous feeling that caused his heart to leap.

He wanted to know who she was, but he respected the fact that she did not want to openly expose who she was. That did not keep him from listening to every conversation and peering at the notes of his classmates discretely.

So far his efforts, though subtle, were wasted.

He moved the paper as gently as possible. Inside was a box of Bernie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Flint stared at it for a moment, before a smile broke over his face. Even though his teeth were not the stuff of dreams, his whole face transformed with the single expression. For a single moment, some might consider Marcus Flint dashing.

There were no prying eyes as he examined the present with excruciating slowness.

Scrawled on the box, in ink were words that had never before been applied to Marcus.

_You're sweet. _

Perhaps it was a little old hat, but he had not ever been on the receiving end of such a compliment. And, it was somehow so simply stated that he couldn't help but believe it was true. She, whoever she was, thought he was sweet.

A bloke couldn't ask for more than that.

He'd have to keep the box, of course, once he was done eating the candy. She'd spent time picking out a present for him and he would not let it go to waste. A feeling of warmth suffused through him. His ears pinked at the realization that she'd actually gone down to shop for him. He opened the box carefully, afraid to rip too much of it. It had to be in nearly pristine condition so he could savor this memory later.

He picked a red and tan colored bean, popping it into his mouth and chewing slowly. It was apple tart, and Marcus thought he would forever love the taste. It was slightly bitter with a sweet tang at the finish, and the decadent flavor of apple throughout.

Maybe, just maybe, if he ever had the chance, he'd find a way to share the real confectionary treat with her.

His shy lady.

Marcus gazed out the window, feeling more like a knight than a troll.


	3. Re-Done

**Thank you for reading and reviewing! I appreciate your time. I own nothing.**

**Re-Done, the chapter did not sit well with me. Please indulge this wishy-washy author.**

OoOoOo

It didn't matter.

It would never matter.

It wasn't worth her time or her effort to even think about it.

'_Stop thinking about it!_' She chastised herself quickly.

That did absolutely nothing. She sighed heavily. This was already turning into a day where she was going to be on-edge. The part that bothered her greatly, was that she had no idea as to why. Or she did have a vague inkling, but she was uncomfortable pondering over it.

After all, she didn't fancy Marcus… Flint. She did not fancy Flint.

Katie peered nervously over her breakfast. Her fork played absently with the grease from the sausages as she watched Flint. Not, that she was actually _watching_ him. She was observing him. There was no harm or intent in that. She was merely looking at him and that small smile that seemed permanently etched on his face. That smile that made him almost seem somewhat _good_ looking.

She chewed on her bottom lip, at the thought. Flint wasn't _terrible_ to gaze on, she supposed. It wasn't really his fault that he had to compete with gorgeous males like Pucey, Malfoy, and several other house heart-throbs. If she had to hazard a guess, Flint was a rather decent looking bloke. At least when he smiled he was.

It looked a lot better than him being sad and downtrodden.

Therefore, her young mind concluded, it had all worked out nicely and there was nothing more that needed to be said or done.

It hadn't truly bothered her when he was unhappy. Or, that is to say she was bothered because she was a nice person and no nice person liked to see someone upset. She'd sent him something that kept him from looking so bloody unhappy, which was all well and good. That is what anyone in her situation would have done.

End of story.

She speared a piece of egg and brought it to her mouth. The salty taste combined with the protein made it delicious. Katie flicked her gaze back to her breakfast.

She hadn't been out of line. Right?

'_You're sweet_,' that is what she'd written. Had it been a touch too childish? She did not think so. Had he thought it though? What did it matter?

She did not notice her slight frown as it stole over her features. She did not care what Flint actually thought about it, because he seemed pleased enough. So, therefore, he obviously must have enjoyed it. Her posture stiffened in her annoyance as an errant thought occurred to her. Perhaps he was smiling for another reason entirely? There was a chance it had nothing to do with a silly box of jellybeans. For some reason, the thought did not sit well with Katie. He had better be the least bit grateful that she'd gotten him anything.

She glared at her goblet. She grabbed it, nearly sloshing the contents on the table in her ire and worry, before downing several long gulps.

It was not long before her newfound insecurity reared its ugly head.

What if he hadn't liked it? Her treacherous mind thought with concern. She supposed he could have had a right good laugh for all she knew. How dare he laugh at her when all she'd been trying to do was be nice? She could envision his smirking leer now as he bragged to his mates about some Gryffindor with a silly crush. Her ire grew at the image of him joking about her to his friends secretly or taunting her at the next match.

She jabbed her fork with more force that was strictly necessary, ignoring the 'tink' sound as it scraped the plate. '_Stupid. Moronic. Foul. Horrid. Evil little wretch_,' she thought angrily. The bloody idiot probably thought she had some crush on him.

But, she _didn't_ have a crush on Flint! Her mind also promptly reminded her that there was no way he could know what house she was from or that it was even her. Also, he had gone to great lengths to defend her honor, therefore it was highly unlikely he would suddenly turn around and mock her to his mates. He'd hexed Wood for implying she was a woman of ill repute. Whenever she reflected on that day on the Quiddich mound she could still see the way his face contorted in anger at the insult and how his voice had been so commanding. His voice often caused her to shiver. It was his voice which still allowed that strange tingling in her stomach to grow.

Katie had also seen a side of him she hadn't known existed. She doubted many people had ever seen it, if anyone at all had before that day. When Flint hadn't been… just some sneaky Slytherin.

Flint, it seemed, for all intents and purposes, was a bit of a romantic.

Not that she _cared_ either way. Never mind her traitorous flights of fancy about how nearly noble he'd appeared. It was Marcus Flint for Merlin's sake!

Still…

He had better bloody like it. Silently she fumed over the imagines of things he had never actually done. Which she knew to be just a touch unfair given the circumstances. That was to her knowledge, anyway. She scowled at the table. That prat! She shot a mildly annoyed glare in his direction. She could almost hear him making fun of the childish anecdote of '_you're sweet'_.

His gaze drifted past hers without making contact.

'_How rude_! 'Katie thought while bristling at the ungiven slight.

She felt out of place and unsure of herself for the first time since entering Hogwarts. Some small part of her, buried deeply, wanted Flint to recognize her effort to be nice to him. Did he have the slightest inkling on how very hard it was to deal with Tawny? The little blighter was draining her of any chance to have an eventful trip to the village. All of her spending money was being given toward owl treats.

She allowed herself to be lost in thought.

Tawny had taken a particular interest in Katie since their last encounter. Much to her displeasure, Tawny was not a bird to forget when someone owed him something. He had shown up on her windowsill, much to the surprise of the other girls and the sheer horror of Katie Bell. His head had bobbed up and down in greeting as he hooted softly at her. His talon outstretched for payment.

Damn balmy bird.

It was the worst possible scenario to occur. Next to Flint finding out it was her who'd sent the gifts. She'd flushed to the roots of her hair, scrambling to get out of bed fast enough. If she were terribly quick, the other girls would not have the chance to question why a school owl was perched expectantly at their window.

A chorus of '_ohhs_' and '_who's it for?_' whispered around the room. Katie groaned internally as she fished the bags of treats out from her desk. Stubbing her toe on one of the legs. She bit back a cry of pain and even managed not to let out the curse nearly lingering on her lips.

"It's nothing," she said in a soothing manner, attempting in vain to keep calm.

A curtain pulled back to reveal a rather put out friendly face. Johnson didn't quite believe her, as was evidenced by her raised brow. "Oh really? 'Nothing' comes in at five in the morning?" She asked sardonically.

"Something like that." Katie laughed, it was forced and short. "He's just my favorite…" she mumbled in embarrassment, "and he _knows_ it."

The double meaning in her words was not lost on the owl who puffed up his feathers in pride.

She shoved the bags into his claw and if an owl could have gloated, she knew he was. He nipped at her hand affectionately. It was akin to rubbing salt in a raw wound. It took all of Katie's will power not to hiss at the creature like a feral cat.

"I told you I would pay you tonight," she whispered lowly so no one could hear. Her eyes darted nervously around the room at the other girls.

He chuffed at her as if he were laughing. His beak parted into an avian smile of amusement. His overly large eyes watched her with apparent delight at her discomfort. She scowled at him for good measure. Then her façade changed as she remembered the other girls in the room.

"There you go… sweetie," she said with a sickeningly sweet tone.

Tawny cooed at her.

She hated that damn bird. Worst of all, she had the feeling that he enjoyed her dislike of him and was going to use his paid for silence to the best of his abilities. She was going to look up one hundred ways to cook an owl at the rate their relationship was evolving.

Katie snapped back into the present, her eyes still lingering on Marcus Flint.

She ignored the blush that decorated her cheeks becomingly when his eyes briefly locked with hers. It took all of her willpower not to jerk her gaze away and put her head down. Because, after all, that wouldn't be the least bit suspicious.

He raised a brow at her in question and she forgot her earlier ire as she stared at him. Her brain cells refused to work and her higher reasoning all but paused entirely. She held his gaze her face felt hot.

And, she hated that her heart clenched nearly painfully when he smiled in her direction.

OoOoOo

Marcus blinked as Bell stared at him. She didn't seem angry, or upset. She wasn't looking at him strangely; she was simply… watching him. When he'd looked at her finally, because he'd caught her looking more than once, she blushed fetchingly.

There was something rather sweet about her appearance.

She had never looked at him so much before in all the encounters he could recall. At least, not without suspicion burning brightly in her eyes; and while he could understand her reasonable wariness, it was a pleasant change for her to gaze on him without a negative emotion or connotation.

Marcus was not overly bright, but he was by no means a simpleton. The girl was rather pretty, for her age and she was rather talented at Quidditch. There was a chance, a large one at that, that Katie Bell fancied him. If her continual gazes in his direction was anything to go by.

He thought it to be rather endearing. Marcus couldn't help but smile at the girl, because her attention toward him was a bit obvious. He was Slytherin, and he knew a great deal more about covert glances than she. It was nearly a requirement to make it past the First year in his house.

Yet, she remained staring at him with her gentle features appearing slightly nervous.

His mind briefly entertained the thought of her being his shy lady, but he quickly dismissed it. His lady thought he was special and Ms. Bell had hardly ever even spoken to him. Bell also did not strike him as the type to give such wonderful gifts nor words of encouragement. She was a pleasant enough girl, he'd heard from others, but that demeanor did not translate toward the Slytherin.

No, his lady was likely not Katie Bell. However, she appeared to be unable to look away from him.

He lost some of his smile because he was a little saddened. While he felt flattered by her attention, he could not accept it. He didn't want to hurt the Gryffindor Chaser by allowing her infatuation to grow, if it was in fact present. He was relatively certain it was, but could not be entirely sure.

However, as much as she might-or might not-fancy him, his heart belonged to another. Once upon a time her attention might have sparked something deeper in him, but that place was kindled by a lady he did not know.

Absently he clutched at the worn bit of brown paper in his pocket.

OoOoOo

Katie swallowed reflexively at the way his eyes warmed as he returned her gaze. Her thoughts swirled and fled as quickly as they came. She'd never seen him look that way. His head slightly cocked to the side as if he were contemplating her. His eyes warm and bright upon her. His smile was rather nice. Handsome even, her mind supplied belatedly.

He was actually…

He was…

He was smiling at her still, and she forgot to breathe. Her breakfast was long forgotten as her heartbeat increased. She abruptly stood up from the table, her blush growing. Katie turned around and all but marched out of the hall on wooden legs. She felt hot all over, and embarrassed. She was so embarrassed that she'd been caught staring at him.

She waited until she was outside the large doors to press herself against the cool stone hall. Her heart hammered in her chest, betraying the dizzy feeling that rolled within her. Her palms were clammy as she pressed a hand to her mouth. Revelation burned a fiery path in her thoughts.

It wasn't possible.

Was it?

Did she actually fancy Marcus Flint?

"Oh Merlin," she breathed out in surprise with wide eyes. Only the air in the hall was witness to the revelation that was shattering her world.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you all of my lovely reviewers for your patience! I am greedy for reviews, I simply adore them.**

**Rated M, I own nothing. Let's go!**

OoOoOo

She kept sending him small presents.

It became a nearly weekly occurance. Katie would wait on pins and needles to see his reaction the following morning. She was absolutely broke in terms of funds at the end of the month, but she found her heart beating faster and her palms were clammy from anticipation.

There was something in his face that was so bright and pleased when she sent the presents, that it nearly became a compulsion. He had an air about him now, a quality which seemed far more confident than boorish as it had before.

It made her feel as if hippogriffs were dancing across her stomach. Every time she peeked at him from beneath her lashes in the halls, or during meals, or even during practice. She secretly had snuck out of her promise to meet Alicia in the library and went to watch the Slytherin team. Katie had only done it once, and she'd been terrified the whole time she would be caught. She'd come up with several plausible reasons for being there, and some that were downright outrageous but this was a world of magic…

So, theoretically they should have worked.

And, though she'd hoped by doing so her infatuation would wane in time it did not. She'd left that day far more confused and a jumble of nerves. Her gaze continued to seek him out everywhere and her traitorous thoughts did not stray far from him unless it was about assignments. Her breath stilled whenever he was too close. She became hyperaware of Marcus when he was flying near her as they battled in their respective teams for the house cup. Somewhere along the way she'd begun to long to talk to him, but she was ashamed.

She was ashamed that she cared about him, far more than she should have. She was embarrassed that it was Marcus Flint she fancied, but still the Gryffindor could not stop herself from wanting to make him happy, even if it was from afar. She'd started this whole fiasco, and she would see it through. He'd never know it was Katie Bell that thought about him day and night. Or that it was her dreams he plagued, and it was she who wondered what his kiss would feel like.

Katie Bell was a mess. She did like him, truly liked how noble he could be. And, she did notice the way his eyes twinkled when he smiled. She knew the sound of his laugh and how strong his love could be when he believed it was true. More than once she'd witnessed him pining over that damn scrap of brown paper wishing it was her. There was much about their situation she didn't understand, but she wanted his attention; and for him to look at her with his eyes bright and happy.

She wished Marcus knew he loved her.

A small bubble of mirth escaped her at the irony of it all. He loved some girl, who at first hadn't felt anything for him and now she loved him but could never tell him. Still, Marcus did not know it was her that sent the gifts. He didn't know that she took the trips down to the village with everyone else in order to buy them for him.

She was still flushed a fetching shade of pink as she rushed back up the lane, with her newest gift in hand. She was almost to the castle, and she'd have to be quick, before the others returned. Rounding the bend she formulated a way to hide her visit to the owlery. She had to find tawny first and then-

She froze in her tracks, unable to process what she was seeing yet unable to turn away. Marcus was leaning closely with a girl that Katie didn't know. She had dark brown hair and some rather beautiful features. A part of her heart, like a fluttering bird that had just fallen from its precariously balanced nest, felt wounded at the sight. He was laughing with that girl, and grinning at her as if she was the only other person in the world.

OoOoOo

Marcus hadn't been expecting much today. It was a day like any other and he was in very high spirits indeed. His shy lady had been giving him a few girts recently and each had been as treasured as the first. He had thought to return the favor and purchase a trinket she could wear. After he finally found her, that is. He could not contain his happiness, and others in his house had noticed. Many had wished him well, with ulterior motives no doubt, but it remained the same that they left the matter alone for now.

Since that abysmal confrontation with Oliver Wood, the Gryffindors had all been giving him a wide berth. All that was, except Katie Bell. Whom he had caught more than a few times blushing in his direction. He had no wish to lead the girl, on and so he did nothing to encourage her infatuation. However, he was rather surprised and flattered by her attention. It did not appear that anyone else was aware of the Chaser's like toward him and so he kept it to himself.

It would not have been kind to shame the poor girl in front of everyone and he had no need to resort to such underhanded tactics because for the first time in his recollection, Marcus was more than content with his situation in life.

Still, his thoughts often turned to Katie Bell and her interest in him. The doubt still lingered that she could be his lady, but it seemed so farfetched it was almost laughable. Ms. Bell was a fierce opponent on the field, but she did not seem the type to send such kind words of encouragement or praise. So he dismissed the idea, yet again, and pretended he was unaware of her glances.

There was a sense of urgency though, that hung around in the air like a dark cloud. He knew war was approaching soon. There was no way around it when two forces were determined to collide with each other irrespective of the innocents caught in the lines of fire. There had been whisperings from his home of the impending dark crusade.

He wanted nothing to do with it. However, there were dire consequences if he avoided his duty, handed down by his father and the Dark Lord.

Marcus needed to find his lady, and he needed to do it before the year's end so as to secure her safety when the time came. There was much he had to plan for and he would scheme with the best of them if it meant sparing her from some sinister and unknown fate. He would keep her from harm, even at the cost of his own life. He swore it.

He would protect her. His mind was made up, and Flint stubbornness was nearly legendary. She'd given him a reason to embrace his days and he was loathe to imagine life without her. Even if he did not know her face, it did not matter. He'd love her no matter her looks, because her demeanor was so worth cherishing. And, he could not imagine her being anything less than lovely in his eyes.

The flash of color drew him.

It was the tiny corner of a package of Bernie Botts Every Flavor Beans that caught his attention, and pushed to toward the fellow Slytherin who held it tightly. She had dark brown hair and chocolate colored eyes. She was very easy on the eyes, and Marcus wondered if she could be his lady, for she smiled at him softly.

He made his way over to her, wanting to see if it could in fact be her. He couldn't quite place her name, but the face he recognized as being a year below him.

"Hello," He said neutrally, his face betraying none of the hope he held.

"Hello?" she responded with a question apparent in both her face and voice.

His gaze landed on her box of confectionary treats, and looked back at her. She still had her school bag on her. That would be perfect for concealing, say, a gift for him perhaps? "What's your favorite flavor?"

She appeared confused for a moment, before her guard dropped slightly and a crooked smile painted her features. "Anything except earwax, boogers, and the other ghastly flavored ones."

He hummed low in his throat, contemplating. "Say, do you happen to have a spare bit of parchment?" His thoughts turned calculating, and he hoped to sneak a glance at her notes. If her handwriting matched, well then, he'd found his lady. If it did not, then his search would continue. He was running out of easy ways to find her.

The bird that had, at first, distained him had been somehow amused by Marcus's attempts at bribery. No amount of treats would turn the bird's head, but he hooted and ruffled his feathers nipping at Marcus's finger affectionately.

The girl nodded, still slightly off put and rummaged through her bag. Marcus discreetly peered in her bag, catching a glimpse of her writing. It was similar… but not quite the same. The '_e_' was too narrow, and her '_s_' was not curved enough. He kept up a stream of idle chatter, this chance meeting having proved fruitless.

It was the small noise that turned his attention away from the other Slytherin.

His grey eyes looked up to see the red and gold scarf dangling in the wind. In the distance its owner, one Katie Bell, wore a look of heartbreak that nearly had him undone. He frowned at his reaction, and her pain. He had tried so very hard not to hurt her. Therefore he should feel none of the guilt that twisted at his insides. He watched as her face flushed, and her back straightened as she lowered her head and marched past them as fast as her legs could carry her.

OoOoOo

She avoided him at every given opportunity. Katie Bell was not above distancing herself as much as possible from the Slytherin who had somehow wormed his way into her heart. In fact, it was quite the opposite; she was all but running from him. She went to great lengths to take other halls if possible. She avoided looking at him in the Great hall during meal times.

Sometimes, to soothe her hurt pride, she pretended he noticed.

The only time she could not feasibly ignore him was in Quidditch, and he seemed to be everywhere there. She was distracted during the games, and hit a few times. Still, she managed to keep her head above water with the rest of the team. It was an unparalleled struggle for the chaser, but she still accomplished scoring points. She hadn't even bothered to give him a cursory glance and had retracted her hand as quickly as possible from the post-game niceties.

Katie had a secret she dared not reveal to anyone for fear of reprisal. The fact was that she did fancy Marcus bloody Flint. She had mentally berated her fickle heart for finding affection for him of all people, even if he truly wasn't all that bad. Some of his reputation appeared to be undeserved, the rest was wholly so. He was a brute on the field, and a snide tormentor of some unfortunate students. However, he was always decent about it. He never picked on the youngest years, nor did he gang up on someone defenseless or who did not have friends about them. It was all strangely fair by comparison to other boys.

Yet, he'd gone and started flirting with... some… unknown Slytherin girl. Why did it have to be some goddess whose face could launch a thousand ships like Helen of Troy? It simply wasn't fair. She liked him, and he liked her. Though he did not know it was her. However, he should know not to go touching some _other _girl.

She knew she was being illogical, yet it did not matter. She was jealous, she knew that. It wasn't hard to understand. What she did not know was 'why'. As in 'Why him?'.

Her hair was a tangled mess as she raked her fingers through it, hoping to untangle it as a physical representation of her thoughts. What was it about Marcus Flint that made her heart race? He certainly wasn't as handsome as some of the other Slytherin boys. For a house full of cunning snakes, they were rather pretty snakes to say the least. Marcus wasn't like the rest of them. Yet, perhaps, that is what she liked about him? He _was_ different.

She had a hard time looking into his eyes anymore without flushing to the roots of her hair. Her mind seemed to freeze immediately and it felt rather unreal to remember the way those shifty grey eyes of his warmed when he'd met her gaze that day in the Great Hall. When she looked at him, that is. She'd been so impossibly angry with him over that unknown girl.

She'd even stopped sending him presents. She hated that she was being so petty, and in all reality she should have been pleased. He had found someone else and now she wouldn't have to keep up the pretense of admiring him. Only, no it was no longer a pretense and the thought made her scowl because it hurt for his to go after another girl.

She'd though he'd truly cared about her the way he'd defended her honor.

Her fingers snagged a painful knot, and she hissed angrily. It didn't make sense, she thought for the thousandth time as she stared out over the empty stairwell. Katie had intended to go to the library for the evening, there was a two foot essay due in charms, but she hadn't made it more than halfway before succumbing to the questions she pushed away for weeks now.

Tawny, her avian extortionist, had taken her absence as a slight. He pecked at her window every night, but she shooed him away and even gave him treats to placate him. However, he would not be deterred. He continued to hoot at her whenever she was alone, and follow her through the school in the areas where it was permitted for owls to be.

She was beginning to hate that bird, for more than emptying her pocketbook.

Her fellow roommates in the girl's dorm had taken notice as well. In fact it was becoming a joke amongst them. Some thought she was secretly an animagius who took the form of an owl, and tawny had unfortunately fallen in love with her. She'd hexed that girl six ways from Sunday simply because she had some pent up anger and aggression. Shortly after. She'd apologized and given the other girl the treat meant for Marcus. He wouldn't need it anyway, now that he had a new love.

They were on speaking terms, but just barely.

"Katie," Alicia groaned, smacking her in the dead with a fluffy pillow. "Your bird's here again."

Sighing, she decided it was high time to take him back to the owlery and explain to him that his services would never be needed again. She trudged down the hall, allowing the tawny bird to perch on her arm. It was early enough that no one would be walking the halls, and it was a weekend, so most would chose to sleep in. She hadn't even bothered to brush her hair, after throwing on her clothes.

She scolded Tawny the whole way back.

"You can't just come barging into the girl's dorms as you see fit," she said with exasperation. "And you know that if I haven't come to see you, chances are that I don't need your services."

The bird nipped at her ear affectionately, and gave her a condescending hoot. Katie narrowed her eyes at him. She was certain he was ignoring her. The look the owl gave her only leant further to that suspicion.

Tawny chuffed at her softly, laughing at her.

"I'm not going to need to send anything every again through you." She said patiently, trying to make it as obvious as possible.

The bird looked unconvinced.

"Now listen you-"

The sound of footsteps drew her attention, and she didn't have time to do much more than hurry further down the hall. She couldn't be caught with Tawny! She burst into the owlery, and slammed the door behind her. Tawny screeched in protest of being jostled so.

"Sorry," Katie said, somewhat mollified about her predicament.

"Hello," a male voice said from behind her.

He was there, of course he was, and she couldn't help the look of startled alarm that crossed her face.

His presence frazzled her nerves. His grey eyes watched her with a strange sort of gleam in them.

"I was looking for that bird," he said pointing to Tawny briefly, "there on your arm."

Katie avoided Marcus's gaze and set Tawny back on a perch. He hopped around for a moment and then tucked his beak under his wing. She could almost of sworn the silly thing looked pleased with himself. She had the feeling she'd been set up.

"Well," she said trying her best to stay calm and not give attention to the fact her hands were shaking. "He's all yours now."

There was silence as she turned to leave.

"That bird doesn't take to people very often." He said conversationally, and she could feel herself starting to blush again.

"Is that so?" She asked, sounding disinterested. "He comes to the Gryffindor dorm all of the time."

There was a soft intake of breath, and Marcus was closer to her now. "He does?" His voice was rougher, nearly sounding excited, but his stance conveyed nothing of what he might be feeling.

A feeling wormed through her, and she couldn't quite tell if she was frightened, nervous, or happy. She nodded, looking anywhere but him. Tawny, cracked his beak and hooted in open amusement. As if he knew she was close to being caught, by the very person she hadn't wanted to know. What was she thinking? She wouldn't have put it past the damn balmy bird to have caused all of this.

"Yes, he just stops by. It was my turn to take him back," she said lying through her teeth. "He comes to see-," her brain scrambled for a name any name would do!.

"Angelina Johnson." Katie heard her voice name her friend but could not stop herself.

"Johnson?" Marcus asked with surprise evident.

Katie heard his question as she fled the room, wondering what she'd just done.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you my lovely reviewers! I am really enjoying this pair, though I am not sure as to why, I just do!**

**This chapter got away from me… so yeah.**

**I own nothing. Please enjoy.**

OoOoOo

She could feel the owl judging her.

It was almost tangible. He was staring at her during breakfast with his large beady eyes. Completely judging her for the fool she was. If Katie hadn't felt horrid already, she certainly would have by the way the bird was giving her a condescending look. Tawny was all but glaring at her, or whatever the avian equivalent was. His brown feathers were ruffled and he did look highly offended by her waylaying his carefully constructed plan to destroy her life.

She didn't need his help; she was doing fine on her own already.

And, she wanted her treats back. That little beaked betrayer had some nerve judging her when he was the one that made this infinitely worse. How was she going to keep Angelina from talking to Marcus? Or vice versa? It made Katie want to pound her head on the table and do nothing but groan in frustration.

However, she could not do that. Everyone would wonder what was wrong with her, and there really wasn't a plausible reason for her to be so upset. Therefore, she decided it was time to do the next best thing.

The chaser scowled into her juice. Her mind caught up in the vicious cycle of imagining Marcus professing his love to that sow Angelina Johnson. Who, yes, was still very much her friend and technically hadn't _done_ anything. Katie winced at the sharp reminder of whose fault it was that one Slytherin was now sneaking glances at the Gryffindor table. The glances were decidedly _not_ directed at her, damn it all.

Food held no appeal to her; she pushed her meal around the plate hardly eating a bite. She felt miserable and had no idea how to fix it without making more of a mess. Part of her briefly entertained the thought of simply walking up to him and telling him the truth. That thought was quickly shoved aside and mocked internally until the idea refused to surface again.

Despite being upset and worried she couldn't rally her courage to tell him because she feared his reaction.

She could already envision being laughed at by the entirety of the every house. It was not exactly the sort of thing a young lady wanted to have happen. Or worse, she'd be publicly rejected by Flint. Because at some point he'd become a flirt with other girls. So what did it matter if she liked him anyway? Katie didn't want to acknowledge how much it would hurt her for him to turn away from her. It was bad enough that he'd chatted up with that Slytherin Goddess, and now he would all but woo Johnson in front of her.

Somehow, that dastardly pumpkin juice was responsible for all of this because she simply could not stop glaring at the goblet. Tawny chuffed above her and she was ready to light the poor thing on fire. He wouldn't leave, and it was irritating her to no end. Luckily, she was sitting next to Angelina so if Flint was looking he wouldn't be able to tell that she'd lied.

She _knew._ She knew deep in her bones that she should have come up with another excuse. IF she'd only said…

If she had just told him when she had the chance…

Her eyes sought his face of their own accord.

She watched him with a lead weight in her heart. She watched as he smiled and how his eyes were warm when he gazed at Angelina. She hated it. Katie hated it all so much she could hardly breathe. It wasn't fair, but she knew it was her fault. There was nothing she could say now that wouldn't reveal her. If that happened, she wasn't sure how she would live it down.

She didn't know who she was trying to fool by pretending Marcus Flint cared about what she thought. The fact of the matter was that she meant nothing to him. She was a sweet idea or a passing fancy. It made her feel unwanted and she swallowed the lump forming in her throat.

"Pass the bacon," Seamus asked, wiping his mouth and extending his hand.

She blindly grabbed the plate next to her, moving it toward him. There was a silence around the table.

"Bacon, Bell, not butter." Seamus said after a moment, both confused and annoyed.

Katie's eyes snapped over to the plate. She stared at the dairy product in surprise and confusion. "Oh, yes, my apologies." She murmured, and set the incorrect plate. She reached for the bacon, and quietly handed it to him.

"Thanks," he said taking a large helping.

She nodded quietly and went back to pushing her food around her plate. Tawny hooted at her, and she tried in vain to ignore him. Other owls soon began pouring in through the windows, as the holiday was fast approaching, but the avian extortionist turned scheming mastermind was content to perch above her head and stare at her.

She was going to kill that bird. No, she was going to feed it to the nearest hungry nargle. Whatever that was, Luna talked about them incessantly. She'd have to prove they existed first, then she'd have to find one, and lastly she would have to hope it ate owls.

Katie managed to muster a small amount of amusement from the mental image. Luna would jump for joy.

Alicia's voice drew her attention next. "Don't look now, but he's looking over here again."

"I don't know what he's up to, but that troll had better learn to stop staring at me if he knows what's good for him." Angelina furrowed her brow in disgust. The threat was clear in her voice as she shot a glare at aforementioned boy.

Well, if Marcus was smarter than wheat toast, he'd realize soon that Angelina wasn't the one he wanted. That thought brought a spark of life back to Katie. It also made her worried that he would figure out it was her and then what would she do? This was confusing enough already. She didn't want to get caught. The thought made her antsy, but she didn't want Marcus to like someone else.

What was wrong with her?

"Bloke doesn't stand a chance," Seamus said with a snort of laughter, and then choked on his mouthful of bacon. He wheezed and coughed until someone whacked him on the back harshly as he sputtered.

"Thanks mate," the grateful boy said before gulping down several long pulls of pumpkin juice.

Katie gave a withering look in Seamus' direction, only it fell short when she realized he might actually see it.

"Maybe he just think's your pretty," Alicia suggested, trying to be helpful.

Had it been possible, Katie might have actually set the poor girl on fire with a look alone. She viciously stabbed at a piece of meat. The ruddy flush of anger crept up her cheeks like a vine clinging to a tree.

"Just forget about Marcus," Katie muttered angrily. Her emotions ran high and were misunderstood.

Angelina looked back at her and gave a reassuring smile. "It'll be fine. I can take care of troll-boy over there."

Katie winced when she called him a troll. He wasn't. Couldn't they see? Didn't they know how valiant he could be? How dedicated and… wholly someone worth feeling flattered about receiving the attentions of?

She could feel the avian eyes of Tawny boring into her once more. Katie sighed, and stood away from the table.

"Oi, you alright Bell?" Seamus asked, eyeing her askance.

"I'm fine," she snapped irritably, "just not hungry."

"Katie?" Alicia questioned confused.

"It's nothing," she replied looking away and grabbing her bag. She slung it over her shoulder and waved briefly to her friends. "I'll see you in class."

She left with stiffness in her gait. Her mind kept replaying the expression on Marcus' face and she wished it had been her he was looking at. She chuckled to herself without humor. She was a sodding idiot. She did fancy him, and she knew it. She wanted him, but wouldn't tell him. However, she didn't want anyone else to have him. She was a mess.

If bravery was an attribute of her house, than she was not living up to it. She was being a fool.

And even fools fell in love.

That's what the emotion was that burned inside her chest. She couldn't get him out of her head, and she was out of touch. She had fallen so fast and she felt far too much on the subject.

It was still Marcus bloody Flint for Merlin's sake! She really should have known that this was going to get bungled up somehow. It was her fault. She should have just let it go after the dare and never kept sending him presents. She should never have cared.

She should have been the insensitive person she'd been to start with. That would have been better for everyone involved.

Well, except for Marcus, anyway. He had been so happy to be cared about, and that made her heart break just a little.

Katie sighed to herself and walked without purpose down the hallways. If someone had any advice to give about the situation, then she'd gladly take it. However, her situation seemed a bit unique and therefore she was on her own. She only had one very poignant question to ask.

What was she going to do about it now?

OoOoOo

Marcus glanced over at the table of Gryffindors where, hopefully, his lady was. His grey eyes landed on the tawny colored owl with interest. What he had told Ms. Bell in the owlery had been correct, according to his observation at any rate. The little owl did not enjoy most students, nor take to them. He had made some discreet inquires as to the bird's habits and whereabouts.

He'd been extremely worried when the presents had suddenly stopped altogether. Had she been harmed? Was she ill? He'd check with the infirmary for any student that might have suffered an unfortunate mishap either from the magical creatures' class, or potions. Those two classes were the most common cause for a visit to the infirmary.

It had all proved fruitless. He was relieved that she was not in harm's way. Yet he was highly frustrated as to why she'd suddenly disappeared from him. Not, that he had found her to begin with, but now he was left with nothing but the cherished memories of her communications. He did not care about the presents she'd given him; it was the affection behind them that had planted her firmly in his thoughts and heart.

What had happened? Had she stopped caring for him? No, he refused to believe her affections were so mercurial in nature. Not his shy lady. Perhaps she was swarmed with assignments and would resume communication with him as soon as she could?

If she would only send him a letter, or even on word, it would be enough for him to know she was still with him. Still safe. Then he could return to sleeping again at night. The world seemed so cold without the subtle presence of her in his life.

He'd become concerned and upset at her absence. He had lost the feeling of elation that had emanated from him for weeks. He missed her terribly, and he had no way to tell her. In his dreams his mind would attempt to conjure up her image, but the face was always shrouded and it caused his heart to ache with longing. He had to keep her safe, for she was infinitely precious to him.

Was she waiting for him to find her? Did she need him? He fervently hoped so; he wished that it was so. She was something he believed in. She thought he was special. His only link to her had been innocuous gifts of affection and they contained no evidence as to her identity.

He'd checked everything she had sent to him with deft hands and several spells. Still, it all had yielded nothing. The scathing whispers and mild accusations that circulated around the dungeons as to whom she might be infuriated him to no end. It did not matter what house she belonged to.

He loved her.

Marcus would not be moved from his devotion and so he had renewed his efforts to find her ten-fold. He had swiftly run out of any lingering suspicions he had held and that left him without only one tiny but winged link to his lady.

He knew she always sent the same bird, and so he had sought out the tawny owl; only to find it on the arm of Ms. Bell. It had set the gears in his head turning. His shifty grey eyes appraised her once more, and the small thought continued to grow that Katie Bell was showing up rather often. She looked at him even more, or had up until that incident on the road.

She'd been nervous to be near him, he could tell, and she'd appeared afraid. The question remained as to why she would have been afraid. He would never have harmed her. She could have easily been scared to be alone with a boy, or a person from the Slytherin house. Yet, that conclusion did not seem quite right.

He had been about to put her at ease when she had revealed that the Tawny owl visited the Gryffindor girl's dorm. He had been surprised and extremely excited to hear the name of the person the bird visited. He would never have guessed in his life time that Angelina Johnson might have fancied him.

He had decided to test and see if it was her. He looked at her from across the hall, and she had caught his gaze in return.

Therefore, though he was not as clever as others, he knew something wasn't quite right when he smiled at Johnson and she reacted as if he'd made an offensive gesture. Now, it was all together possible that she did not wish other to know, and he did not mind. All things considered, their houses and the looming war, it might be safer to pretend they despised each other.

However, there was no recognition in her eyes toward him, just general disgust and dislike. Marcus contemplated the meaning. He didn't understand. If tawny was visiting Johnson, then why was she glaring at him with all of her might?

And, why was Tawny perched above Ms. Bell's head?

He continued to puzzle out the conundrum, until he noticed the owl staring at him with a meaningful look. For a bird. He was not the wisest person at his table, or his grade, or even in the five feet surrounding him. However, his mind played over the recent events.

He started to receive presents.

Katie Bell started watching him nearly all of the time.

He saw Ms. Bell in the road and she looked extremely hurt.

The presents suddenly stopped.

Grey eyes looked back at the Tawny owl who rolled its large eyes heavenward, and for a single moment Marcus almost believed the bird was praying for patience. The ludicrous thought made him smile. His attention was drawn when Katie Bell moved away from the table, and left the hall.

The owl ruffled its feathers before letting out a sharp trill and followed her.

"There goes Katie and her owl," a voice carried over the din sardonically and a few people burst into laughter at the Gryffindor table, an inside joke perhaps?

Katie and _her_ owl…

Then he knew. A feeling of warmth suffused his chest and he watched her leave with a large smile which unfortunately scared a few of the first years.

He had been right. His lady was lovely.


End file.
